Ramsar Sites of Turkey - Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

The lake surface covering the biggest part <strong>of</strong> the site is surrounded by steppes, oak
communities, reed beds, saltmarshes and agriculture lands. There are little heights
around the lake. These elevations support plain steppe structure, particular to Central
Anatolia. Oak communities in steppe structure, again particular to Central Anatolia, are
also supported in certain parts. Small lagoons partly covered with reeds have been
formed due to alluvial load in the south and north <strong>of</strong> the lake. There is a small freshwater
Lake in the southwestern edge <strong>of</strong> the site. Agriculture lands stretch
in patches by the sides <strong>of</strong> the lake.
WILDLIFE
Flora
Lake Burdur is located within the Mediterranean floristic region <strong>of</strong> the plant geography.
Plant communities occur only in southern p
where rivers flow into the lake and the salinity content level is less;; due to the sodium
sulfate and chloride amounts in the lake water is rather high besides being arsenical.
Species <strong>of</strong> umbrella plant (Cyperaceae), bulrush (Juncaceae), cattail (Typhaceae) and
true grasses (Poaceae) families represent the flora <strong>of</strong> Lake Burdur.
There are heights and mountains covered with forests and shrubs around the lake.
European black pine (Pinus nigra) forests dominate the flora at the elevations <strong>of</strong> the
mountains in the surroundings <strong>of</strong> the lake.
The plant specimens collected from the lake surface as well as the agriculture and steppe
areas <strong>of</strong> Lake Burdur during field works in 1998-1999 have been identified. As a result <strong>of</strong>
the identification studies a total <strong>of</strong> 49 families, 204 orders and 315 species were
recorded. Among these 20 species are identified as endemic to the region.
A total <strong>of</strong> 41 orders were identified among the phytoplankton specimens identified in the
lake. Amphiprora sp. <strong>of</strong> Bacillarophyta division, Navicula sp., Synedra sp., Cyclotella sp.,
Spirogyra sp. <strong>of</strong> Chlorophyta, Cladophora sp., Oscillatoria sp. <strong>of</strong> Cyanophyta constitutes
the dominant orders <strong>of</strong> the lake. When the phytoplanktonic organisms <strong>of</strong> Lake Burdur are
studied with regards to the stations;; Amphiprora sp., the dominant order <strong>of</strong> the lake is
recorded as the characteristic species <strong>of</strong> salty and briny waters.
Fish
Lake Burdur and the streams feeding it are not rich in terms <strong>of</strong> fish species. The only fish
species in the region is Aphanius sureyanus, the endemic inland water fish species.
Amphibians and Reptiles
The amphibians frequently seen in and around Lake Burdur are toads. Marsh frog (Rana
ridibunda) and European Green Toad are the most common species. The environment <strong>of</strong>
the lake is very rich in terms <strong>of</strong> reptiles. Spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca), Balkan
green lizard (Lacerta trilineata), Caucasian rock lizard (Lacerta saxicola), snake-eyed
lizard (Ophisops elegans), javelin sand boa (Eryx jaculus), European blind snake
(Typhlops vermicularis), Caspian whip snake (Coluber caspius), dotted dwarf racer
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